Many chess pundits had predicted a Magnus Carlsen 'era' of dominance once he rose to the top of the world rankings in 2011. The pursuit and defence of the world championship title over the last couple of years seemed to sap some of his energy, but in 2015 he has re-assumed his aura of invincibility.
The second Gashimov Memorial in Shamkir, Azerbaijan last month was the occasion of yet another convincing Carlsen tournament victory. The Norwegian world champion won the elite ten-player round-robin on a score of 7/9, a full point ahead of his erstwhile challenger, India’s Viswanthan Anand in second place. Future world title hopefuls Fabiano Caruana (Italy) and Wesley So (USA) shared third on 5 points.
Today's game is from the second round at Shamkir. Carlsen is playing with the white pieces against Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 g6
Carlsen typically picks the less critical 4.e3 line against the Slav Defence. Mamedyarov responds with the Schlechter variation now that White's dark squared bishop is cut off from f4. 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be2 O-O 7.O-O b6 8.a4 a5 9.cxd5 cxd5
Deviating from 9... Nxd5 as played in the game Anand-Wang Yue, 2010, which was drawn. Black prefers to keep control of the e4 square and stands equal. 10.b3 Ne4?!
This exchange of knights affords Black a cramping pawn on e4 and access to the d5 square, but puts him behind in development. 11.Nxe4 dxe4 12.Nd2 Bb7 13.Ba3 f5
After 13... Nd7 14.Rc1 Nf6 15.Bc4 the knight will be unable to occupy d5 without losing the e-pawn, but the text opens the a2-g8 diagonal and costs more tempi. 14.Rc1 Kh8 15.Nc4 Nd7 16.d5!
Occupying the critical d5 square before Black can play 16... Nf6. The pawn's further advance will disorganise the enemy pieces. 16... Rc8 17.d6 e6
Trying to secure a blockade on d5. The exchange 17... exd6?! 18.Qxd6 opens the d-file for White's heavy pieces. Interesting was 17... e5!? intending to follow up with … f5-f4-f3 gaining kingside territory and counter chances. After the text White clears away the queenside pawns to maximise the cramping effect of his passed pawn on d6. 18.b4! axb4 19.Bxb4 Bd5 20.a5! bxa5
Declining the pawn sacrifice 20... Bxc4 21.Rxc4 Rxc4 22.Bxc4 bxa5, as after 23.Ba3 Qf6 (23... Rf6 is similar) 24.Bb5 Ne5 25.d7 the passed pawn supported from behind starts to cause serious problems. 21.Bxa5 Qe8 22.Qa4 Bc6 23.Qb4 Rb8 24.Nb6!
Chipping away at the blockade on d7. 24... Ne5?!
Even after 24... Nxb6 25.Bxb6 Qd7 26.Rc2 followed by doubling rooks on the c-file Black's position is difficult. 25.Qc5 Ba8?
Now Black is losing. The best chance was 25... Rf7 26.Rfd1 Rfb7 though Black's task is very hard. 26.Bc3 Nd7
Or 26... Qxc6 27.Qxe5! Bxe5 28.Bxe5+ winning a piece; 26... Bd5 27.Bxe5 Bxe5 28.Bb5 Qd8 29.Nd7 winning the exchange. 27.Bxg7+ Kxg7 28.Nxd7 Qxd7 29.Qe5+ Resigns
After 29... Kg8 or 29... Kh6 30. Rc7 will win the queen or mate.
Carlsen era continues
Problem: White to play and mate in 5.
Many chess pundits had predicted a Magnus Carlsen 'era' of dominance once he rose to the top of the world rankings in 2011. The pursuit and defence of the world championship title over the last couple of years seemed to sap some of his energy, but in 2015 he has re-assumed his aura of invincibility.
The second Gashimov Memorial in Shamkir, Azerbaijan last month was the occasion of yet another convincing Carlsen tournament victory. The Norwegian world champion won the elite ten-player round-robin on a score of 7/9, a full point ahead of his erstwhile challenger, India’s Viswanthan Anand in second place. Future world title hopefuls Fabiano Caruana (Italy) and Wesley So (USA) shared third on 5 points.
Today's game is from the second round at Shamkir. Carlsen is playing with the white pieces against Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan.
1.d4 d5
2.c4 c6
3.Nf3 Nf6
4.e3 g6
Carlsen typically picks the less critical 4.e3 line against the Slav Defence. Mamedyarov responds with the Schlechter variation now that White's dark squared bishop is cut off from f4.
5.Nc3 Bg7
6.Be2 O-O
7.O-O b6
8.a4 a5
9.cxd5 cxd5
Deviating from 9... Nxd5 as played in the game Anand-Wang Yue, 2010, which was drawn. Black prefers to keep control of the e4 square and stands equal.
10.b3 Ne4?!
This exchange of knights affords Black a cramping pawn on e4 and access to the d5 square, but puts him behind in development.
11.Nxe4 dxe4
12.Nd2 Bb7
13.Ba3 f5
After 13... Nd7 14.Rc1 Nf6 15.Bc4 the knight will be unable to occupy d5 without losing the e-pawn, but the text opens the a2-g8 diagonal and costs more tempi.
14.Rc1 Kh8
15.Nc4 Nd7
16.d5!
Occupying the critical d5 square before Black can play 16... Nf6. The pawn's further advance will disorganise the enemy pieces.
16... Rc8
17.d6 e6
Trying to secure a blockade on d5. The exchange 17... exd6?! 18.Qxd6 opens the d-file for White's heavy pieces. Interesting was 17... e5!? intending to follow up with … f5-f4-f3 gaining kingside territory and counter chances. After the text White clears away the queenside pawns to maximise the cramping effect of his passed pawn on d6.
18.b4! axb4
19.Bxb4 Bd5
20.a5! bxa5
Declining the pawn sacrifice 20... Bxc4 21.Rxc4 Rxc4 22.Bxc4 bxa5, as after 23.Ba3 Qf6 (23... Rf6 is similar) 24.Bb5 Ne5 25.d7 the passed pawn supported from behind starts to cause serious problems.
21.Bxa5 Qe8
22.Qa4 Bc6
23.Qb4 Rb8
24.Nb6!
Chipping away at the blockade on d7.
24... Ne5?!
Even after 24... Nxb6 25.Bxb6 Qd7 26.Rc2 followed by doubling rooks on the c-file Black's position is difficult.
25.Qc5 Ba8?
Now Black is losing. The best chance was 25... Rf7 26.Rfd1 Rfb7 though Black's task is very hard.
26.Bc3 Nd7
Or 26... Qxc6 27.Qxe5! Bxe5 28.Bxe5+ winning a piece; 26... Bd5 27.Bxe5 Bxe5 28.Bb5 Qd8 29.Nd7 winning the exchange.
27.Bxg7+ Kxg7
28.Nxd7 Qxd7
29.Qe5+ Resigns
After 29... Kg8 or 29... Kh6 30. Rc7 will win the queen or mate.
1-0
Solution: 1.Ne7+! Qxe7 2.Rh8+! Kxh8 (2... Kf7 3.Bg6+ Kxg6 4.Qh5#) 3.Qh5+ Kg8 4.Qh7+ Kf7 5.Bg6#.